After long silance I write
you afew lines which will inform
you that we are boath well,
I have had very good health since I left
Richmond John has bin a little sick several
times tho he is very well at this time,

hard marching agrees with me finely and
I tel you I have had enough of that to
make me fat, if I only cud of goten
enough to eat, the rations has bin very
scanty a large portion of the time sence we
have bin marching, we have not marched
much for the last ten days and it looks
like thay are trying to feed us to death
now, thay are giving us eny quantity of
fresh beef and fresh hog meat,
I would like very much to gave you
a history of our travels, tho I have not
got the patiants nor time to it,
I hope we will all be permited to
return to our homes in peace soon, and
then I can tel you of our ups and downs,
it is thaught in camp that we will
have peace soon and, trust we may
tho I dont know the public appin ion
I have not seen a paper in a month,

all of conscripts are sick, thay was only four
sent to our company, John Hundley and Whit
and Memry Inman and Buc Pruett
our old members has kept up finely concid
ering the exposeure, we have to waid every
stream we come to that has no bridge across
it, we have waided the potomac three time
we are not aloud time to take off our clothing,
to croos creeks & rivers, we have to go in
just as we are, and then march with
our wet clothing on, Pritchett & are
both sick and at the hospital, Dasey Price5
has bin sick for some time, he has bin
staying at private house close by Winches
ter, all of our sick & wounded are order
ed from Winchester to Staunton,
I think we will go bac to Richmond
again soon at least I hope so, for I have
not hird a word from home since I left
Richmond, you must write to me soon and
direct your to Winchester, we are onley
five miles from Winchester now,

I will close by ading that I remain
your affectionate cousin

James Booker

gave my love to uncle Drury and cousin
America and tel them to write to me,
John says he will write to you soon